Outside the PMCA

See this wall? It is the wall on the other side of which hang paintings from the long career of Wayne Thiebaud. They are only inches away, but they may as well be miles deep within the Caves of Fear. I cannot show them to you here on the NiceWork weblog, because:

NO PHOTOGRAPHY ALLOWED.

See these signs? They let you know what you’ll see if you turn over seven dollars to the long-suffering student behind the counter. You can see paintings by Wayne Thiebaud (b. 1920 and still going great guns), or beautiful woodblock prints by Frances Gearhart (1869 – 1958). But you won’t see them here on NiceWork. And you know why?

NO PHOTOGRAPHY ALLOWED
That’s why.

This colorful mailer lured me to Pasadena to visit the Pasadena Museum of California Art. I wanted to see the pie slices and gumball machines and deli cases of Wayne Thiebaud. Indeed, I did see all that, and so much more. But I can’t share the experience with you here in the friendly confines of NiceWork. You really have to see the thick-spread paint and the saturated colors.

Words fail. Mine do anyhow. A photo would be nice, but, well…

I can show you the banners, the signage, the mailer. I can even show you the bright little orange sticker I received in exchange for my seven dollars and which I stuck above my beating heart. But I cannot show you any paintings by Wayne Thiebaud. Sure, I could describe them, but you would only look on uncomprehendingly, blinking, sad and disappointed Too bad photography was prohibited.

The parking, however, is free.

ADDENDUM: Here is a link to a nice little movie from KQED about Thiebaud. About 8 minutes long. Shows him painting. Shows some of the preparation for the exhibit you can’t look at on this website. He talks about his work. He buys a cake. To see the short streaming video click on the words PIE PIE PIE.